Press Photo/Lori Niedenfuer CoolEric Sheler, owner of Signmakers Limited, works on removing the green-, yellow- and blue-colored panels from "The Regatta" sculpture in East Grand Rapids. High winds Sunday damaged the panels to the point where they were flopping around in the wind.

EAST GRAND RAPIDS -- Wind damage has taken the sails out of a landmark Gaslight Village sculpture.

A 40-foot-tall fiberglass and steel structure designed to evoke a ship's sails cutting through water fell victim to winds that gusted up to 57 miles per hour this weekend.

"If it were a sailboat, it would have knocked it over," said Randy Chase, of Signmakers Limited, the company called to take down the wreckage.

The sculpture was an integral part of Regatta Plaza, the centerpiece of the Jade Pig Ventures development. Damage that began Friday was finished off by weekend winds. Welds sheared and bolts popped as fiberglass sails were buffeted.

"The sculpture acted like a sail, caught the wind and the structure wasn't strong enough to withstand the winds, as we were told," said Jade Pig Director of Properties Mike Mraz.

Press Photo/Lori Niedenfuer CoolCrews from Signmakers Limited work on removing panels from "The Regatta" sculpture in East Grand Rapids. High winds on Sunday damaged the panels.

Insurance will cover the undisclosed loss, he said.

The sculpture was created by David Young, of Second Globe Studios, of Indianapolis, as part of the 2005 design for the development.

But Jade Pig won't be going back to the firm for a replacement, choosing instead to open a competition among local artists.

"The project will be a retrofit," Mraz said. "We'd like to see something that looks like sails but allows the wind to go through."

The pink and magenta spinnaker portion of the sculpture remains and will be incorporated into any new work of art, Mraz said.

The plaza features other artwork from locally connected artists, including Brian Alexander, of Douglas, and Bill Barrett, of New York and formerly of the University of Michigan.

Artists who would like to present their ideas may contact Mraz at Jade Pig Ventures, at 774-4444.